Seven Times Mike notices Tina
by BadgerInMySoup
Summary: And the one time she finally, really notices him back.


AN- I can't believe it's taken me this long to write a Tike fic; they're my second Glee otp.

So, I've always kind of had this headcanon of Mike being interested in Tina back in season 1, because of how absolutely awesome he thinks she is in season 2. And how lucky he feels because he had liked her forever and now she's his girlfriend.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>i. Pre Glee<strong>

Mike Chang keeps to himself.

He joins the football team to avoid being slushied and he becomes friends with Matt because he doesn't talk much. He hangs out with Finn and Puck for team solidarity and all that and he goes home and does his homework like a good little student with a plan to go to Harvard.

(His _father's _plan to go to Harvard)

He doesn't like to be noticed and, in turn, doesn't really notice others.

He's sitting in his sophomore math class when it happens. In the middle of a lecture on square roots, the door opens and an Asian girl with bright blue streaks in her hair walks in.

Mike sits a little straighter.

She's wearing a black dress with black leggings and her hands are encased in mesh gloves. She's biting her lip nervously as she hands over a slip of paper. The teacher reads it, nods once, and then addresses the class.

"This is Tina Cohen-Chang; she will be joining us in class for the semester. Would you like to introduce yourself, Tina?"

Tina's eyes widen and she shakes her head franticly. The teacher raises an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?"

A nod.

"Alright. Take a seat then."

Tina scurries to a seat, which happens to be the one right in front of Mike. He watches as she digs out pencils and a notebook, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear and focusing on the board intently.

Mercedes Jones leans over to her, and whispers, "Are you new? Because I haven't seen you around."

Which is an amazing feat, to be honest. Mercedes is their biggest gossip. Tina flushes a little.

"F-freshman."

Mercedes smiles kindly at her, then turns back to her notes.

By the end of the class, Mike can't help but notice that freshman Tina's notes look fifty times better than his.

* * *

><p><strong>ii. Preggers<strong>

Mike is beyond relieved when Puck and Matt decide to join Glee.

He'd been interested since Mr. Schue stopped by to ask for recruits but he knew he'd be teased if any of them caught wind. The fact that _Puck_ was joining made it all the easier.

As he walks into the choir room, he glances at all the current members. He recognizes Mercedes, Kurt Hummel (with a stab of regret when he remembers this morning's dumpster toss that he didn't take part in, but didn't stop either), Rachel Berry and, with a start, freshman Tina.

She's sitting next to a boy in a wheelchair, still dressed like she's going to a funeral but this time with a knit cap over her hair. Though he can still see the blue streaks. He doesn't know what quite possesses him to drop into the empty seat on her left but it's maybe a little worth it when she flushes at his smile.

"Hi. I'm Mike."

"T-T-tina," she replies, smiling slightly. "Welcome to G-glee."

"Thanks. Can't sing much but, uh, I like to dance."

"Me too."

He thinks he's going to like it here.

* * *

><p><strong>iii. Throwdown<strong>

Mike is sick of being known as the Asian Kid.

That's basically how his teammates know him. It's how he's forced to live his life (stereotypes ahoy) and it's how everyone sees him.

So when Coach Sylvester calls it out like it's his name or something, it's more than a little annoying. He follows the rest of his misfits down the hallway, hands shoved in his back pockets. He'd be happy that Matt was also with this group, but his friend is too busy having an actual conversation with Artie (see? Mike can remember names) to pay him any attention.

That's also when he notices that freshman Tina is walking by herself.

"So, in case you couldn't tell," he says, speeding up to her side, "You're Asian."

She laughs. "And here I thought it was always so hard to tell."

He grins. "I think it's the blue streaks; throws everyone off."

"Maybe if I come to school tomorrow in a Kimono, it will help."

"Is that even your culture?"

"Does it matter here?"

"Touché," he pauses, "So what songs do you think we're going to do?"

Tina shrugs. "I'm not very picky. I hope Mercedes gets a solo, like she wants. And maybe something easy to dance to."

He stares at her. "You're not even going to try to get a solo?"

She shrugs. "I don't want it as bad as she does."

"Wow…you're like…the nicest girl in show choir ever."

She flushes and that's when Mike notices something else.

"Hey, you haven't stuttered since we started talking."

"W-what?"I-I mean, I-"

He chuckles. Not in a mean way, though. "Guess I spoke too soon."

"Y-yeah. I g-guess so."

When they get to the gym, Tina hurries over to Mercedes and Kurt. Matt slips next to him and nudges him knowingly.

Mike wants to shove him.

* * *

><p><strong>iv. Wheels<strong>

If Mike hurries, he might be able to catch the bus before it leaves.

Not having a car sucks. It's his own fault he messed it up (it's not like him and Matt were _trying_ to do damage, they just wanted to see how high the car could go over a speed bump) and now he has to pay the price.

As he runs down the hallway, he vows he will not stop for anyone, friend or teammate alike.

Crying, of course, is his one weakness.

He hears quiet sobs when he goes past the library and he debates with himself for one second before he screeches to a halt and doubles back. The room is empty and he's able to follow the sobs easily. He finds Tina, hunched between fiction and romance, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Hey," he says quietly but he still startles her.

She sniffles and avoids his eyes, grabbing at her bag. When she get to her feet, he stops her with gentle hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"When I find you crying your eyes out in the library, I think it's something."

She swallows. "Artie and I had a fight."

Oh right. He forgot, that she and Artie were a thing. He tries not to feel bitter; Artie's a nice guy and he's got a good voice. It's not his fault Tina liked him more.

"What about?"

She looks down at the floor. "I don't have a stutter. I lied. I lied because when I was younger, my teacher tried to make me read in front of the class and I didn't want to. As long as I stuttered, everyone left me alone."

"That's…actually a really good plan. Nice one."

Tina doesn't smile. "Artie was upset because…at the end of the day, he's still in that wheelchair and I get to be normal. And he liked me because he thought I understood him."

"But…you still do, don't you? I mean, sure you don't have an actual disability. But aren't you known far and wide as Asian girl? At the end of the day…you're still Asian and, according to everyone in this school, you're still different."

"I never thought of it like that…"

He squeezes her hand. "Tina, you kind of own being different. You embrace it. I think that's really cool."

She smiles at him then. Her eyes are red and puffy and her makeup is running but, honestly, Mike thinks she might be the prettiest girl he's ever seen.

Boyfriend, he reminds himself.

"You should go find Artie and talk to him, talk it out."

She nods. "Thank you, Mike. You know, you should try to talk more in Glee. You're probably the nicest guy in show choir."

He blinks and then grins because that fact that she remembered their conversation is kind of awesome.

He's still grinning when he finds out he missed his bus.

* * *

><p><strong>v. Ballad<strong>

When Tina reads off "other Asian", it's the first time Mike's ever been happy to be called it.

(Though he does think it sucks that Schue doesn't even know his name)

He waits for her when glee wraps and tries not to notice when she looks after Artie sadly as Quinn rolls him out of the room. She smiles, though, when she sees him.

"So I know singing isn't your strong point," she says. "But we can think of something else."

"You sing while I dance around. It's about time your voice gets showcased."

She smiles at that. "Thank you, Mike."

They leave the room together, bouncing ideas back and forth. Tina finally suggests singing 'Let's Hear It For the Boy' while Mike enacts the dancing from the scene.

"Do you think Mr. Schue will go for it?"

"What can he do, give us an F?"

Mike laughs. "Good point."

They go to her house to practice, mainly because Mike still hasn't told his parents about glee club. He meets her mom and her step-dad, who are pretty cool. Her mom is surprisingly more chill than his about heritage and all that, and her step-dad is an amazing cook.

They aren't bothered while they practice in Tina's basement, _Footloose_ playing over and over again until Mike has the moves memorized.

They don't actually get to perform; Quinn's pregnancy news takes center stage and everyone rallies around them, which Mike doesn't mind. He likes Quinn, and he wants them to know that glee has their back.

And he's really okay with not performing because he got to spend all that practice time with Tina.

* * *

><p><strong>vi. Dream On<strong>

Dancing is a part of Mike's soul.

He hasn't managed yet, to explain to his dad why it's so important or even to really showcase it enough in glee.

But when it's just him in his room, iPod blaring in his ears and his body moving instinctually to the music?

It's perfection.

So when he finds out he gets to dance with Tina? It makes it all the more better.

Of course, he knows she's still with Artie, that they managed to make up after the stutter reveal and they're going strong. And it sucks because he genuinely likes Artie. Just not as Tina's boyfriend.

When Tina runs late for their first practice, Mike turns on the radio and just lets go. It's him and the choir room and the music and they all work together to create this perfect melody that no one else can see or hear.

At least he thinks so until he finishes and there's applause.

He whips around only to find Tina standing in the doorway, clapping. She grins a little when she sees his face.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. You're just _really_ good. Are you gonna go to school for dance?"

He chuckles and shakes his head. "I'm going to Harvard."

"Ambitious."

He has to stop and take this moment. She's teasing him freely when months ago she probably wouldn't have even looked at him. He could kid himself and think he got her out of her shell but he knows it was everyone and everything.

"It's what my dad wants," he explains. "He usually gets what he wants."

He sinks down into one of the many plastic chairs and she walks over to join him. "Does he know?"

"No. No, he'd think glee would just be a waste of my time. It took forever to convince him to sign the football permission slip and it was only after I pulled the extracurriculars card."

"You should try. Explain to him how important this is to you. He might understand."

Mike snorts quietly. "Yeah, sure. Hey, enough of this talking nonsense," he gets to his feet and bows in front of her, holding out a hand, "Would you like to dance."

She laughs and slips her hand into his easily.

When they waltz across that auditorium in front of the entire glee club, it's the happiest Mike's ever been while dancing.

* * *

><p><strong>vii. Theatricality<strong>

Tina is wearing bubbles.

It shouldn't surprise him, really. Her fashion statement has always been a little out there but it's one of the things he likes most about her. Earlier this week, when she walked in with a baggy sweatshirt and jeans, it was honestly the oddest thing he's ever seen on her.

But bubbles. A dress made of just bubbles. He is a teenage boy, okay? And, well, _bubbles._

And he shouldn't be staring at another guy's girlfriend.

(Did he mention the bubbles?)

He's chatting with Matt after their KISS performance when Mercedes and Tina walk up to them.

"Nice one, boys," Mercedes says with a wink. "Almost thought I was looking at the real deal."

"Well, you girls killed it up on stage," Mike tells them. "Gaga would be proud."

"I just can't wait until this week is over and I can dress in clothes again," Tina groans. "Of course, they won't be _my_ clothes."

"Figgins still giving you a hard time?"

By now, Matt and Mercedes have drifted back to the group conversation. Mike watches Tina give Artie an adoring look before turning back to him.

"Unfortunately. I blame _Twilight._ If that hadn't come out, I would be free to wear my style."

"I can't believe he actually thinks vampires are real."

She rolls her eyes. "He's very naïve."

Mike smirks. "Well, why don't you exploit that?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's scared you're a vampire, right? Why don't you give him a reason to be?"

He sees the exact moment she understands what he's getting at, when her eyes light up and she beams. "Oh, you're good."

"I try."

They high-five. Mike tries not to feel really cool when Tina shows up in her goth clothes the next day.

* * *

><p><strong>-i. Auditions<strong>

"So…you wanna talk about it?"

He sits down next to Tina in front of the fire. She shakes her head, arms wrapped tight around her.

Mike couldn't believe his luck when he found out Tina was his fellow counselor at Asian Camp. An entire summer of just them, with no glee club or Artie to get in the way.

Of course, he didn't think of the non-stop texting and phone calls that the long distance couple would be partaking in for the first week or two. Up until these last few days, that is, when Mike noticed Tina was definitely in a funk and lacking a cellphone.

He slips his hoodie off then she shivers and drapes it around her shoulder. She smiles at him; it's a small smile but it's still a smile.

"Come on. I'm a really good listener."

"You really are," she nudges him with her shoulder. "I owe you one after this entire year."

"Cashing it in now; tell me what's wrong."

She pauses. "Artie and I broke up."

It takes all he has not to jump in the air and celebrate. "Oh? But you guys seemed so solid. And all the phone calls and what not earlier?"

"All one-sided. Mine, of course. Artie got lost in his video games and hanging with the guys and he just sort of forgot he had a girlfriend. And I got sick of it; he never answered his phone or responded to my texts. So I sent him a break-up one earlier; can't wait to see if he even responds."

Mike blows out a breath. "Okay, going to play devil's advocate or whatever. Artie's a good guy, Tina. He's nice, although I think he does try a little hard with the gangster stuff. He has a really good voice and he's funny."

"And you're telling me I was an idiot for dumping him?" she demands.

"I'm telling you," Mike says calmly, "That even though he was a really cool guy…you deserve better. You should have someone who realizes how lucky he is that he's dating you. That he gets a girlfriend who's proud of who she is and has an amazing voice but doesn't shove it in other people's faces. A girlfriend who will try to help him see his own dreams through while not even focusing on her own. A girl who looks amazing in a dress made of bubbles and is the prettiest even when she's crying."

He stops, suddenly shy, and doesn't look at her. He needs to open his mouth a little more so he can shove his foot inside it.

"Mike," she says quietly. When he doesn't look at her, she takes his chin in hand and turns him towards her. "Did you mean all that?"

"Y-yeah."

"Nice stutter," she teases.

And then she leans in and kisses him.


End file.
